When summer rolls around, many people find themselves scrambling to lose that last few pounds so that they can look slim and sexy in their bathing suits. Unfortunately, this can mean that thousands of individuals across the country begin turning to unhelpful, ineffective, and dangerous slim waist fad diets for help.

The truth is that although the latest dieting craze might seem to work for your favorite celebrities, most of these solutions to losing weight are short-term, and can have a negative impact on your health. The only really healthy way to lose weight is to carefully manage your nutrition in a combination with frequent exercise.

Following, we're going to cover a few of the easy ways you can spot the signs of a fad diet, so that you can protect your health as you strap on your weight loss belt, adjust your meals, and plan your workout routine.

Sign 1: Your Diet Omits Entire Food Groups

If the diet you're considering asks you to remove entire food groups, such as carbohydrates or fats from your meal plan, then the chances are it's not going to be good for you. The truth is that you need to get a collection of different kinds of food in your diet if you want to be fit and healthy. Even fats - which are often victimized by the media, and carbohydrates have important roles to play in your body.

Any diet that tries to eliminate food groups entirely should be ignored as this is one of the most worrying signs of a fad diet. You should never try to starve your body of the varied nutrition it needs.

Sign 2: It Uses the word "Cleanse" or "Detox"

Although detox or cleansing diets can vary in their composition and function, they generally focus on supplements and foods that contain apparently "detoxifying" agents that lead to weight loss. The truth is that these diets are often simply filled with something that's likely to make you visit the toilet more often, but do basically nothing for your long-term weight or health.

Although some cleanses are fantastic for the body, they are often the ones that are recommended by a doctor or dietitian. Anything that's sold in a local beauty store or website might not have the same impact.

Sign 3: It Makes an Unbelievable Claim

Finally, if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Fad diets often try to draw people in with incredible claims or amazing promises, but the truth is that they're just trying to convince you to spend your money.

There's no magic pill out there that allows you to eat whatever you want, wherever you want, without exercise, and still lose five pounds while you sleep, even your slim waist weight loss belt doesn't do that. Claims like these rely on shock value to draw consumers in, and lack any of the science required to back themselves up. If you're amazed by what a diet claims to be able to do for you, then it's probably a short-term fad, and not something you should invest in.